


Can't Escape The Past

by MusicLover6661



Category: Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Nathan is based off of Chris in the photo, Neils a piece of shit, as is Dante in the picture of Seb, like usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-15 06:16:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16057253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicLover6661/pseuds/MusicLover6661





	1. Chapter 1

[Originally posted by cant-take-my-eyes-off-you12](https://tmblr.co/ZpmXDq2a0emiL)

  


Billy had always been second best to his older brother, whether it was the sports he played, or the grades he got in school.  Nothing was ever good enough, and he never knew whether it was going to ever be worth the time.  So he did what any fifteen year old would do.  Rebelled.  Of course that wasn’t to say his father Neil was happy with his actions, let alone his older son. Billy was a good kid when his mother was around, but when she passed away and he lost his older brother as well.  Well, Billy wasn’t too happy with life anymore.

 

He was forced to move a few months shy of his eighteenth birthday, abandoning his life back in California for the dreary Hawkins, Indiana.  Billy loathed living here, from the people who stared at him as if he was some shiny new toy, to the weather that was simply too cold.  Neil never listened to a word he said, instead focusing on his wife and her daughter.  God did Billy loathe that girl, she was the reason they were uprooted to the shit hole he was now stuck in.  He couldn’t talk back though, not if he wanted to get anymore marks to bring to school.  
  
Tommy had noticed the bruises that were constant, had seen Billy’s lip split more often than he could count, but he never said a word.  He had been on the receiving end of Billy’s fists on more than one occasion and swore never to let it happen again.

 

So when word got out that Billy had gotten into a fight with the old king Steve Harrington and  _lost._ Well.  It was safe to say that Billy’s rein had come to a screeching halt.  There would be a new alpha in town, someone better than him.  
  
**Billy’s P.O.V  
** 3 Years Later  
  
God I couldn’t wait to get out of this shithole, and show that piece of shit Neil that I was going to be better off.  It was hard though, I couldn’t afford rent out in Cali by myself, I’d need a couple of roommates at least.  The rent here was so cheap that I could own my house without a worry, but I couldn’t stay here.

 

“Hargrove! Someone says they’re here to see you” I furrowed my brow, the only person who ever showed up at my job was usually Max, and that was rare.  
  
I wiped my hands off on the rag nearby and headed up to the front.  Please don’t be an irate customer, the last thing I needed was to have my ass chewed out again.  Not my fault the moron put the wrong kind of gas into his car, I told him what to do and he did the wrong thing.  
  
“Billy, it’s been too long” That voice sounded so familiar, and yet so strange.  
“Nathan?” I walked over to the man in question, he had gotten taller, his hair was longer than usual too.  Jesus did he start taking steroids?  His arms were huge!  
“It’s me, dad said that you moved out a few years ago and told me to find you myself” Nathan rolled his eyes, him and Neil hadn’t gotten along after he moved away eight years ago.  
  
Most people were shocked that we were related, where Nathan was stoic and proud of who he was constantly, I had my moments.  Of course no one got to see those moments, thankfully.  The man was a flirt too, could woo any woman into his bed.  He had done it when he was a teenager, and I was sure he was still managing to do it now.  
  
“You cut your hair” Nathan reached over to muss up my hair, it felt like we were kids again, wrestling on the ground.  
“I couldn’t deal with it while working here, got too hot in the summer” I pushed his hand away, chuckling softly.  
“I know what you mean, I work at a mechanics shop out in Cali” Of course he did, he always loved working on cars.  It’s why I had my car now.  
“Still trying to sleep your way through southern California?” I smirked and ran a hand through my hair, Neil was going to be pissed once he heard about this.

 

I didn’t get any longer to talk with Nathan, my boss was on my ass for abandoning my work for the last five minutes.  I promised him that we could talk when I wasn’t elbow deep in motor oil, even if that wouldn’t be until almost eight tonight.  The heat was slowly sinking in the building, drenching my work shirt, and undershirt in sweat. Hopefully I could get a shower in before Nathan decided that we needed to go out into town.

 

Mark was going through the papers on his desk by the time I finally finished, nearly ten pm.  Why did I ever offer to work late for the man?  He had plenty of people to work for him, but he always asked me to work til I was falling asleep.  
  
“I’m heading out for the night, I already locked up the tools” Mark didn’t even spare a glance at me before going back to his work.  
  
The air was thick with humidity, the stars shining bright in the sky.  At least the night was going to be nice enough where I could walk home in peace. Nothing wrong with enjoying a night out while everyone’s off sleeping in their beds.  That’s if Nathan was still around, he could’ve found someone to take back to his hotel room.  
  
“Oh look, it’s Hargrove” There were three voices, one of them sounded familiar.  
“Must suck not being the king anymore, no surprise you couldn’t handle it” Tommy, of course.  
  
I flipped them off and kept walking, my boots felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds on my feet.  I just wanted to eat something and go to bed, a shower could wait until morning.  Nathan would just have to wait until I was damn well and ready to do anything.  
  
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing at a shitty bar like this?” Shit, why was he at the bar near my apartment?  
“I was planning on having a drink with my friend, but I think I’m gonna stay out here with you” The girl he had pressed up against the wall was smirking at him.  
  
Of course, he was more interested in getting her number, and getting into her pants than he was getting a restful night’s sleep.  Well, it didn’t matter anyway.  
  
“Billy!” Damnit!  I was so close!  
“Hey, I’m pretty tired Nate, I think I’m gonna head on home” I was willing to do anything I could to get out of this awkward situation.  
“Come on kid, it’ll be fun” Nathan wasn’t taking no for an answer.

 

So it lead us to drinking a pitcher of beer, and downing five shots within an hour.  I was pretty buzzed as it was, and Nate was more coherent.  Even if he had been drinking for longer than I was.  
  
“Why don’t you go and flirt with that girl over there?” I glanced over to the girl in question.  Nope, I couldn’t go over to her.  
“No, I can’t do that” She was the only girl I ever had true feelings for.  But when she had denied any of my advances, well I sort of gave up hope.  
  
Nathan didn’t waste a single moment before sauntering over to her and bringing out his charm.  She was smiling and laughing at his jokes within seconds.  As much as I didn’t want to be upset, I couldn’t help the jealously that spread through my chest like wildfire.  He was always going to be able to get the girls, and now I was the outcast of the group.  
  
“Nate!  I’ve been looking everywhere for you” Dante Wilson, Nathans best friend since they were kids.  He must’ve come with for the visit.  
“I told you where I was going to be, you just didn’t listen to me” Nathan smirked over at his friend, introducing him to the woman who still had my heart.

 

They were all immersed into their own conversation.  Maybe they wouldn’t notice me paying my part of the tab and sneaking out of the bar.  And by the grace of god, I had gotten lucky enough to make it back to my apartment before my phone dinged with a new text.  Dante was asking where I had run off too, I was honest and let him know that I was home in my bed.  Where I wanted to be, ready to let the weight of the world fall off my shoulders.

  
***  
  
Whoever was banging on my door hadn’t stopped for almost ten minutes, either they were determined to break down my door, or to piss me off to the point I snapped.  I threw the blanket off of my body and stormed out to the living room, swinging open the door angrily.  
  
“What the hell do you want?” I was only in my boxers, and with the cool air coming in from outside, the hair on my legs were standing on edge.  
“I was wondering where you ran off to last night, good to know this is where you went” Nathan stepped beside me into the apartment, Dante following close behind.  
“I was exhausted, worked a double down at the shop last night” Nathan raised a brow at me slightly, why was I not surprised with this?  
  
Dante had gone into the kitchen to find something to eat, at least I had gone grocery shopping recently, nothing worse than having nothing edible in the house.  Nate had already made himself comfortable on my couch, feet propped up on the coffee table.  
  
“Surprised you weren’t gonna spend the day with Y/N” Even saying her name made my heart clench, why was I like this?  
“She was looking for you last night actually, that’s why Dante texted you” Didn’t matter now, she probably wasn’t thinking right.  
“Doesn’t matter, what’re you going to do about dad?” I couldn’t help but grimace at the mention of him.

 

Nathan and I were never a fan of Neil’s.  Our mom was the only person who was ever truly our saving grace, she made sure we were all happy. She had started feeling sick towards the time that Nathan moved out, he asked me to keep watch on her all the time.  I wanted to be the good son for her, to ensure that she would always have someone she loved by her side.

 

I would never be able to forget the day she passed away, Neil hadn’t bothered to show up to be with her in her final hours.  She clutched onto my hand as she would float away otherwise, her words were mere whispers as she talked with me.  She wasn’t afraid of death, not at all.  She was more afraid to leave me alone with Neil, the horrors that he was going to inflict upon me.  The last words she ever spoke were that she loved me.

 

“I saw him last night with his new wife, she didn’t seem too thrilled to see me” Susan didn’t like knowing that Nathan was around when she came into the picture, and none too thrilled when she met me.  
“She’s seen what he’s done to me before, but she stays anyway” I plopped down into the recliner with a sigh, working almost everyday was taking it’s toll on my body.  
“Don’t ever let him touch you again, and if he does let me know” Nathan was always protective when we were together, but the day he moved out it got worse.  
“I don’t even go to their house for the holiday’s, safe to say I won’t let him do shit” Dante laughed loudly from the kitchen, of course.  
  
Nathan didn’t waste a second before telling me that he was taking me to go out into the town.  Not like there was much to even do around here, besides go to the mall or something.

 

We were headed out to the mall, looking for a place to shop for a little while before getting some lunch.  It was good for a while, Dante ended up getting his little sister something to bring back when they left, and of course Nathan was checking out the girls that passed out.  
  
“Oh shit, look who it is boys” Fuck, why was Tommy here right now?  Didn’t he have somewhere better to be.  
“Don’t tease the poor boy guys, he’s sensitive now” Carol was hanging off his arm, smacking her gum loudly.  
“Wonder how it feels to be the laughing stock of Hawkins” Tommy snickered under his breath, such an asshole.  
  
Nathan set down his bags before walking over to Tommy, hands gripping onto the front of his shirt.  
  
“Who the fuck do you think you are?  Huh?!” Nathan’s eyes were dark, lips pulled into a sneer.  
“Look man, I don’t want any trouble” Tommy held up his hands in defense, guess he bit off more than he could chew.  
“You’re gonna keep my brothers name out of your mouth, so if I hear that you give him any kind of shit I will make sure they’re the last you ever speak, got it?” Tommy nodded and pushed away from Nathan, nearly hitting Carol with his outstretched arm.  
  
Dante was snickering to himself, I wasn’t kidding when I said Nathan was protective of me.  Now everyone was going to see you don’t fuck with the Hargroves.


	2. Chapter 2

[Originally posted by dailystrangerthings](https://tmblr.co/ZRrE9o2aUFMTp)

[Originally posted by thosekidswhohuntmonsters](https://tmblr.co/ZyVV5h2TUqIx-)

[Originally posted by seabasschino](https://tmblr.co/Zk1IOm29svqi2)

My parents hadn’t really given me much information on why we were packing up and moving from New York to some shitty little town in Indiana.  My mom said it was because my dad got a promotion that required us to move, that sounded so forced. I knew it was because I had gotten kicked out of school for fighting.  Though to be fair that wasn’t even my fault, the girl came at me with a baseball bat and I was the one who got expelled.  Dumb bitches parents were apparently part of the school board, so of course she got a free ride.  I didn’t bother to find another school, instead I went and got my GED so I could be done with the high school bullshit.  Could find a job and save up enough money to move somewhere better, somewhere that wasn’t in the middle of nowhere.

 

~~~    
  
“Come on hun, go out and get some fresh air” My mom was throwing open the curtains, bringing in the bright sunlight I had been trying to avoid.  
“It’s saturday, all I want to do is sleep right now” I was never a morning person, and for more than one reason.  
“Well it’s going on noon, so get your ass out of bed” She yanked the blanket off of my body, rolling her eyes as I whined and reached for it.

 

I hated the town, most of the people that lived here had all grown up together, I was the newcomer, the freak.  They were talking about us the moment I walked into the store the first time, whispering about how I had been the troublemaker.  If they knew the truth it’d shut them up right away, but I wasn’t going to correct them, it was too much time to do so.

 

There was someone else though, someone that shared the same struggle I did.  He was the new kid in town, something exciting for the people to stare at.  Until he suddenly wasn’t, he was practically cast out of the town without so much as an explanation.  I felt bad for him, losing your life from back home only to be thrown out when you’re barely an adult?  How much do you have to hate your kid to do that to them?  
  
~~~  
  
The answer to that question lies in the parent.  I had met Billy not long after he was kicked out of his home, and while he seemed charming there was a certain…aura about him.  He had tried to woo himself into my bed more than once, only I had to deny his advances.  He took a while to back off, assuring that he was finally giving up.

 

And don’t get me wrong, Billy was downright gorgeous, but he had such a bad reputation with everyone in town that I was nervous.  I didn’t want to be another notch on his bedpost, something to brag about to his friends when they were at the bar.  So I stayed away and kept my distance.  I promised to get to know him better, to possibly start a friendship.  But he stayed away from me, I wasn’t sure if it was due to anger, or if I had upset him.

 

We were each living on our own at this point, having grown up passed the awkward phases of our teenage years into adulthood.  The ripe age of twenty one, getting asked to go out to bars almost every night.  I never saw Billy anymore though, he was constantly working down at the mechanic shop in the middle of town. And if I ever did see him it was when we were each grocery shopping.

 

He was kind enough to say hello before passing by, maybe he was in a rush and didn’t have enough time to stay and talk for very long, it could explain it.  
  
“C'mon Y/N!  You promised me almost a week ago that you’d come to the bar with us” My best friend Jess was practically ready to get on her knees and beg.  
“That was also before I found out that you were bringing your boyfriend” I raised a brow at her, she knew that I was right.  
“It’ll be fun though, come on maybe you’ll even meet a cute guy” She had been trying to set me up on a date for months, refusing to ever let me say no.

“If anyone there makes me uncomfortable I’m leaving you there” It was an empty threat, but a threat nonetheless.

 

The bar was packed the moment we stepped inside, much busier for a friday night than usual.  Jess ran over to meet up with her boyfriend, essentially leaving me all alone. Like usual.

 

I rolled my eyes and perched onto one of the open barstools, ordering a simple drink.  Nothing too strong for me to start out with.  Most of the people at the bar were immersed into their own conversations, talking about their work weeks.  It wasn’t until a person was walking up in my peripheral that I turned my body.  The man was gorgeous, stunning blue eyes, leather jacket that looked as if it was molded to his body, thick beard covering a jaw that could cut glass.  Goddamn who was this man?  
  
“Hi, the names Nathan” He held his hand out for me to shake, I raised a brow and slipped my hand into his, blushing as he brought my hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to my knuckles.  
“Y/N, what brings you to the bar Nathan?” My heart was stuttering in my chest.  
“I’m actually here with my brother, he’s over at the table in the corner” I glanced over to where he said, feeling my jaw drop open.  He was related to Billy?  No wonder he was so gorgeous.  
“Billy never said he had any siblings, though I never got to know him well enough to know” I blushed softly, nothing worse than making a bad first impression.  
“I’m not surprised, we don’t get to see each other very often” I felt bad, he seemed so nice.

 

The conversation flowed from there, it was so easy to talk with him, as if we had known each other for years rather than a few minutes.  One of Nathan’s friends came to join the conversation, introducing himself as Dante.  He was another looker, definitely easy on the eyes.  I couldn’t keep my eyes off Billy though, he looked so sad.  After Nathan offered to buy me another drink I lost sight of Billy, did he leave the bar?  
  
“I think your brother left” I gestured towards the now empty table, Nathan frowned for a moment before pulling out his phone and handing it to Dante, asking him to get a hold of Billy.  
“He likes to do that sometimes, never tells me where he’s going either” Nathan took the phone from Dante and read the texts that were sent back and forth. Billy had gone home without telling anyone, I wasn’t sure why I felt so upset by it.  
  
Nathan took down my number, promising to have Billy text me when he got the chance.  As if that was going to happen, he could barely look at me when we were in a store together.

 

Jess was too deep with her boyfriend to even notice that I was leaving, better to just let them have their time together.  The only thoughts on my mind as I made my way back to the apartment were Billy, was he doing alright?  He was still in what to be his work clothes when he was at the bar, oil splotched over the once crisp white shirt.  
  
Had I never really paid attention to him before?  Or was this because his brother had come along and helped open my eyes?  He’d probably think I’m so shallow though, pining over him because his brother had come into town.  I really hoped he did message me though,  there were some things that I needed to get off my chest.  
  
Billy was walking through the mall with Nathan and Dante by his side,  it wasn’t until Tommy made a comment at Billy’s expense that I saw just how protective Nathan was.  He looked ready to pummel Tommy into a bloody pulp, the same that Billy had done to Steve Harrington before.  I wanted to run over to Billy, to tell him that I was wrong for hiding away my feelings.  
  
“Give it a rest Nate!  She doesn’t see me that way, it’s been obvious for years” Billy gripped onto the short strands of his hair, gripping roughly.  
“You don’t know that, didn’t she deny you back when you were eighteen?  People change” Billy wasn’t going to believe Nathan, not after what happened.  
“It doesn’t matter, she probably has a boyfriend by now” Billy’s shoulders slumped forward, a defeated sigh slipping through his lips.

 

I stepped over to where they stood slowly, it felt as if I was attempting to catch a scared animal rather than talk to Billy Hargrove, the notorious bad boy.  Dante opened his mouth to let Billy know I was there, Nathan clamped a hand over his mouth quickly, silencing him.  
  
“I don’t have a boyfriend actually” Billy jumped, turning to face me in an instant.  
“Y/N, hi” His chest was rising and falling harshly  
“You’re too flustered for your own good” I couldn’t help but giggle, this was the side of Billy I’d prefer to see more often.  
“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to see you here” He wiped his palms against his jeans, grimacing slightly.  
“Your brother asked me to come talk to you, can we go sit down?” I took his arm gently, heading down to the near empty food court.  
  
The walk down was all but silent, it would’ve been unnerving if I wasn’t on a mission of my own.  To show Billy that I wasn’t that same person three years ago.  He stopped at the closest table, it was far away from everyone else that they wouldn’t be able to eavesdrop.  
  
“I want to apologize for ever making you think I didn’t like you Billy, it’s just when I first moved here you seemed so cocky” Billy winced at my choice of words, even if they were true.  
“I was trying to make a name for myself, I was somewhere I didn’t want to be, and then with everyone throwing themselves at my every beck and call, well I felt powerful” He smiled softly, lacing his fingers together on the table top.  
“They all wanted someone good looking to lead them” I giggled as Billy’s cheeks turned a light pink.  
“Good looking huh?” He smiled raising a brow at me.

 

It was so nice truly getting to know Billy, to see the man he was deep down inside without the swarms of people around him.  When he was able to stand on his own two feet without everyone telling him what to do.  I was excited to see where this life took us.  
  
 **2 Years Later**  
  
“William Hargrove put me down!” I squealed loudly as Billy threw me over his shoulder, arms wrapped around my legs and waist to prevent me from falling.  
“No can do sweet cheeks, my brother is coming by and you’re going to be here to tell him the news” God sometimes I hated the man at times, but at the same time I didn’t.  
  
Billy and I had moved from Hawkins to Cali after a year of being together, it was more terrifying than when I had moved from New York.  The only positive was the atmosphere, the air almost seemed cleaner the moment we arrived.  While the apartment we had gotten wasn’t cheap by any means, it was nicer than anything we had back at home.  
  
“C'mon Bill, you couldn’t wait until after we left to take her to bed?” Nathan was standing in the doorway, Dante leaning against wall behind him.  
“I told her she had to give you the news, it was the only way I could wrangle her out here” Billy set me down onto my feet slowly, smiling as I turned to face Nate.  
“Billy and I are getting married” The words slipped out with ease, even if I had been secretly practicing it for the last hour.  
“Holy shit, congratulations you two” Nathan and Dante stepped over to us, hugs, and kisses being passed around.

 

I never knew this was where my life was going to lead me, and to be fair I was happy I had denied Billy’s advances before, because I wasn’t too sure if we would be here today. He was the only man for me anymore.


End file.
